


blind date

by dat_heichou



Series: Fic Drabbles [12]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Blind Date, Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, facing up to childhood bullies/anxieties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6102796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dat_heichou/pseuds/dat_heichou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yamaguchi signs up for a Valentines Day blind date program, hoping to get over his feelings for his best friend/roommate.  Things don't go according to plan, but that might be okay after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	blind date

**Author's Note:**

> Same au as Tending a Fever.
> 
> Anon requested 22: Are you jealous?
> 
> from: http://dat-heichou.tumblr.com/post/136794981886/yourarisisbaeuniverse-send-me-a-ship-otp#post-notes
> 
> Plot inspired by this au list: http://dat-heichou.tumblr.com/post/138068024231/date-gone-wrong-prompts#post-notes

“There is no way you’re actually signing up for that.”

The distaste in his best friend’s voice made Tadashi’s hand falter when he was writing his name on the list, but he still turned to send an awkward smile back at him, “Oh come on, Tsukki, a blind date could be fun.  It could be nice to have a date on Valentine’s Day for once.”

“What’s wrong us doing our normal stuff and avoiding all the romance bullshit?”  The light frown on Kei’s face was genuine and he furrowed his brows as though he saw nothing wrong with spending yet another Valentine’s Day watching _Jurassic Park_ marathons together. If Tadashi had hope that the reason why his best friend was so adamant to keep their routine because he wanted to spend time together, then he would be flattered.   _But he probably just wants to hide from all those girls that will try to give him chocolates again.  It’s the same every year,_ Tadashi sighed internally.

“But it’s supposed to be a romantic day,” Tadashi forced a grin directed to his best friend.  “Maybe something exciting will happen this year.”

“You’re really ditching me to go out with a stranger,” Tsukki responded, almost dumbfounded. His frown looked almost like an indignant pout and it made Yamaguchi want to giggle.

“Why, are you jealous?” Tadashi gave in and laughed at the prospect, turning away from his friend to reread the sheet of paper he had just signed, missing the way Kei’s eyes widened at his words.  “You can probably get a date, even if you don’t want to sign up.  You’re popular, Tsukki.”

By the time Tadashi turned around to look back at the taller teenager, the blonde’s face was molded into a heavy frown, any signs that he had been flustered now gone.  “Shut up, Yamaguchi.  Why would I do that?”

_Of course, he isn’t interested in getting a date._ Frankly, if Tadashi thought his best friend was into the whole dating thing, he would have been tempted to ask him out a while ago (that is, if he ever managed to work up the nerve to do it). As it were, one of Tadashi’s main motivators for this blind date was to find someone to distract him from the massive crush he’d had on his best friend for the past four years.  As he listened to his best friend gripe about being ditched for awkward hangouts with a stranger, Tadashi noticed how hearing Tsukki’s bitterness at the whole blind date idea only made his heart pound again. He really hoped that Valentine’s Day would help him get over this one-sided crush.

* * *

In the weeks after signing up for that blind date Valentine’s Day program, Tadashi noticed that Tsukki seemed to be acting strangely.  His best friend was more agitated than usual and he was surprisingly quiet, even when they were both alone.  When he did talk, his words were shorter and heavier than Yamaguchi remembered them being before.  If Tadashi didn’t know any better, he would have thought that his best friend was _pouting._  But Tsukishima Kei was too proud to pout, especially in such a noticeable way, _especially_ over something so small as having alone time on a holiday he didn’t even like, so it had to be some other weird thing going on.  Although to be fair, Tadashi figured that he wasn’t really acting normally either.

Date anxiety struck him hard and fast right after he signed up at the end of January.  Three weeks of him freaking out would be enough to put his roommate on edge, he figured.  Tadashi felt bad about it, but at the same time, he couldn’t help it.  It would be his first date and Tadashi had no idea of who it was with and how it would go.  Maybe having his first date be a blind one was a bad idea after all.

“What if they don’t like me, Tsukki?”

“Then you don’t have to spend time with them ever again.”

“What if they’re in one of my classes though?”

“Well they obviously have nothing better to do on Valentine’s Day than go on a blind date, so it’s not like they’re any better than you.”

“What if they want to go on another date?”  That idea struck Tadashi as the most terrifying.  “What if the first date goes well, but then we go on a second one and I ruin it?”

This question came up on the eleventh of February.  Tsukki lifted his eyes from the page of his chemistry textbook he was currently working in (on he would be, had he not been roped into playing date advisor for the 500th time that month).

“For crying out loud, Yamaguchi, just go on the first date before you worry about the second one,” he grumbled, irritation clouding over the deadpan tone he usually rebutted Tadashi’s anxiety with.

Tadashi blushed, “Sorry Tsukki.”  He felt bad for talking about it continuously, he really did.  He laced his fingers together as his thoughts distracted him away from the conversation.   _If even my best friend is getting tired of hearing me talk, how could a blind date possibly go well?  I’d probably bore them to death or annoy them to death,_ Tadashi worried.

A sigh from the opposite side of the room broke Tadashi away from his anxious thoughts.  He looked up to see Tsukki staring at him, blond eyebrows furrowed as he watched the anxiousness run rampant across Yamaguchi’s fretful face. After being friends for so long, Tsukki had learn to read the worry in Yamaguchi’s facial expressions, and knew when someone usually had to step in to stop its disastrous cycle.  The textbook laid open across his lap, forgotten for now.

“Yamaguchi,” Tsukki sighed, as if the words he was about to say physically pained him, “Would you like me to go to the restaurant with you?  Then if it goes poorly, I can interrupt and give you an excuse to leave.”

The smallest smile found its way onto Tadashi’s lips, chasing away some of his nagging thoughts. “You’d do that, Tsukki?”  He couldn’t keep the happy surprise out of his voice, and frankly he didn’t really want to try to.  It wasn’t often that Tsukishima Kei offered grand gestures like this and Yamaguchi was eager to take him up on it, if he was actually willing to do it.

“If it would make you feel better about it, then yeah,” Kei shrugged.  “It’s not like I’m planning on celebrating Valentine’s Day or anything.”

Tadashi knew that all too well.  For all the years they had been friends, Tsukki had always expressed a distaste for the pink and red holiday, which only got worse once girls had started taking notice of him in junior high.  His chest ached when he fully realized that his best friend had essentially offered to sit in a brightly colored café, just to make him feel more comfortable on a blind date.  He would be surrounded by lovey-dovey couples, gaudy heart decorations, and sappy romantic music, all things Tsukishima Kei hated.  (Or at least claimed to hate, considering Tadashi knew for a fact that there was a romantic playlist on Tsukki’s ipod that he kept carefully hidden from others.)  He would put up with all that, just for him.

“Tsukki, you’re the best!” Tadashi jumped down from his lofted dorm bed to launch an excited hug at his best friend, who simply grunted at the sudden weight as it attached to him.

“Yep, that’s me.  Now let me get back to studying.  Not all of us have lost our brains to cupid fever.” For the first time in a few weeks, Tsukki’s voice sounded normal again, the mysterious extra agitation almost gone.

* * *

With the new comfort of knowing that his best friend was going with him, Tadashi felt like he was finally more excited than anxious for Valentine’s Day.  In fact, sometimes Tadashi found himself thinking about Tsukki more than his own mystery date.

“Hey Tsukki, what do you think would make a better impression?  The green or the grey?”  Tadashi asked on February 12th, holding up dress shirts in front of his roommate, who was currently lounging on his bed while browsing on his laptop.

“The green makes your eyes stand out more,” Kei answered, barely looking up from his computer screen. “With the amount of times you’ve asked me that, you might as well ask me to just pick out your entire outfit for Sunday.”

Tadashi’s tan face lit up with hope at the suggestion and amber eyes quickly glanced up from the screen to glare at him.  “No, Yamaguchi.  Be a big boy and pick out your own clothes.”

“Aww, Tsukki, you’re no fun,” Tadashi pouted, though he knew that there was no way his best friend would give in.  Besides, he was right after all.  It wasn’t _his_ date.  (As much as Tadashi sort of hoped it was…)

“Shut up, Yamaguchi,” he replied, turning back to his computer again.  

“Sorry, Tsukki,” Tadashi laughed, putting his date clothes back in his closet.  As he looked over his clothing selection again, he decided that he was at least going to wear his lucky socks for the date.  He figured he was going to need all the luck he could get.

* * *

Tsukishima Kei hated the responsibilities of being a best friend sometimes.  He really did.  

Here he was, sitting in what had to be the most crowded café in the city alone watching his friend vibrate with excitement (or was it nervousness? With Yamaguchi it was probably a mix of both) across the room while he was waiting for his date to arrive.  Couples surrounded him and tittered to each other, fluttering eyelashes and holding hands, and Tsukishima felt physically ill. He fucked up and brought his red headphones with him, so now everyone in the entire place probably thought he was buying into the nasty holiday.  In fact the waitress, was eyeing him, probably going to come ask him when his date was going to arrive.  Or ask for his number when she found out his date _wasn’t_ coming, which had already happened twice so far with other girls since he’d walked into the overly sweet smelling building.

He hated himself for doing this, he really did.  But he couldn’t get himself to fully regret it, because it made Yamaguchi actually feel comfortable to go on this date, and those smiles of his that he sent across the restaurant were almost infectious.  Almost.  Kei would never let himself smile in this place, because then he would risk someone thinking that he was actually approachable in this hellhole.  Fuck that.

But Kei supposed his job wasn’t that difficult.  He’d sit and wait for the mystery date to show up (Yamaguchi had written that he was fine with any gender, so neither of them had any idea of who to expect), then covertly watch until his dark haired friend flashed him the signal—twisting his trademark wayward tuft of hair around his index finger– that it was okay for him to leave.  

And Kei was pretty sure that the date _had_ to go well and eventually he’d be able to leave.  This was Yamaguchi Tadashi.  His date was sure to enjoy themselves, or at the very least find him adorable.  Then Kei could leave this place and pout in peaceful solitude about how he was unhappy to have to share his best friend.

Kei pulled out his phone to check the time.  It was 12:35, so whoever it was was already five minutes late.  If his too-nice-for-his-own-good best friend got stood up during a stupid blind date program, then Kei was going to go make someone cry.  Possibly multiple people.  The date and all the people who organized this stupid excuse of a Valentine’s Day program.  That should teach them.

Just as his frustration was building (just being in this place was annoying anyway), Kei noticed that someone made a beeline for Yamaguchi’s table.  

Maybe this would have made Kei relax if he hadn’t seen the pure panic flash across his best friend’s face when his date sat down.

* * *

Tadashi checked his phone for what was probably the tenth time in two minutes.  His date was late.  Surely they were coming soon.  He wouldn’t be left here alone, right?

“I think this is where I’m supposed to sit.  Sorry I’m late,” a deep voice spoke above his head.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Tadashi squeaked, hurriedly looking up to finally see the date he was agonizing over for almost a month.

He had dark hair and was average height and build, much shorter than both Tadashi and Tsukki.  He was rather attractive, especially his dark brown eyes, but something about his face made Tadashi uncomfortable.  It was strangely familiar, and it didn’t seem to be in a pleasant way.  

When he said his name, it finally clicked.  This was one of the faces that haunted Yamaguchi’s childhood nightmares. Tadashi raised a hand to his cheeks, trying to hide the freckles that the young man across from him had called ugly eight years ago.

The date was staring at him, obviously waiting for him to say something and Tadashi squeaked out, “I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi, it’s nice to meet you,” hoping that the awkwardness would pass.   _Maybe he doesn’t remember.  Maybe it’s somehow not the same person,_ Tadashi hoped.

“Oh,” the young man’s smile dropped slightly, as he looked Yamaguchi up and down in surprise. Tadashi couldn’t help but squirm under the heavy evaluating gaze.  “I remember you.  I can’t believe you got hot.”

_Fuck, it’s him_ and _he remembers.  Fuck._

“Uh, thanks?”  Tadashi nearly whimpered.  He never expected the date to go nearly this badly from the get go. “I know freckles aren’t your thing,” he laughed harshly, trying to find a way to escape the fear and bitterness fighting inside his chest.  Out of the two, the bitterness was preferable.  Seeing one of the faces that helped cause his anxiety made him want to break down, but he certainly didn’t want to do it in front of him.  Like hell he would let this ass see him cry _again._

“Oh come on, that was years ago,” the guy laughed cheerfully.  “It’s not like it matters anymore or anything.”

Tadashi bit his lip to keep his hot angry tears at bay.  “It does matter,” he answered quietly, his voice surprisingly hoarse from fighting to keep his emotions steady.  “You and your friends fucked my self-esteem over for _years_!” he exclaimed, wincing as his voice cracked as he did so. “Don’t you dare say it doesn’t matter! You don’t get to decide that!!” Tadashi could fear his tears begin to escape and he cursed internally, wishing he had walked away earlier.  The last thing he wanted was to be laughed at again.  He looked down at his hands, trying to will the tears away.

A loud splash at their table made Tadashi look up at his date.  He was now completely drenched and staring at him in rage and disbelief. Standing over him with an empty water glass was none other than Tsukishima Kei.

Tadashi gaped up at him, finally letting the tears roll freely.  Tsukki to the rescue, yet again.

“What the hell????”

“Pardon me, but I think there’s been a mix up,” Tsukki looked down his nose at the drenched man, his lips widening into the biggest, most disdainful smirk Tadashi has seen on his face in quite some time.  “He was supposed to have a date with a human being, not the scum of the earth.  Since that’s obviously not what happened, I’m here to take Tadashi on a real fucking date and you can go kindly fuck off.”

“You fucking asshole!!!”

Tsukishima didn’t even give the dripping man another glance, instead focusing all his attention upon his emotionally rattled roommate.  “Come on, you deserve so much better,” Tsukki reassured him as he held out his hand and Tadashi gratefully took it, letting his best friend pull him up so he was standing again.  Those harsh amber eyes softened as Tadashi looked up at him, and Kei’s voice was quiet when he gently asked, “Any last words for this ass?”

“Yeah,” Tadashi whispered, turning to look at the sincerely pathetic soggy human in front of him. “You helped me meet the best friend I could ever had.  So I guess I should thank you.  But, no, I’d rather not.  You’re beneath my thanks.”  With that, Tadashi let Tsukki link their arms together and lead him out of the café. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he realized what he had just done.  Baby-faced Tadashi of the past would have never been able to say any of that.

“You okay?”  Tsukki asked, as Tadashi wiped his eyes with his fist.

“Yeah,” he sighed tiredly. A month led up to this mess and now the excitement had replaced itself with exhaustion.  Tadashi was even too tired to really think about the scene he and Tsukki had probably just caused.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Huh?”  Tadashi peeked up with wide, red-rimmed eyes.  “I thought you wanted to go home to watch _Jurassic Park,_ like we always do.”

“I was serious.  I’ll give you a better date, so just name where you want to go,” Kei looked at him with surprising sincerity and Tadashi felt his tired heart race again.  

Tadashi stopped walking and thought about it for a few minutes, trying to figure out what was going on inside his best friend’s head.  After the mess he just went through, he was afraid to get his hopes up. But this was Tsukishima Kei.  And if there was one thing Tadashi could trust, it would be that his best friend would keep him safe.  So maybe he’d bite one more bullet and just let the feelings happen.

“Anywhere, Tsukki?”

“Anywhere you want.”

“Then let’s go home, Tsukki. Let’s watch _Jurassic Park,_ like every year.”

* * *

So just like every Valentine’s Day before, they ended up sitting side by side while _Jurassic Park_ played on the television in front of them.  But the silent contact of their hands entwined together made it seem like perhaps this year was a little different after all.


End file.
